Wada tells Sony to get its shit straight

Wada tells Sony to get its shit straightReuters reports today on the critically bad state of Playstation 3 in Japan, and underlines it with an equally critical comment from Yoichi Wada, who you may recognise as Captain Polymorph. Says the -- otherwise fairly benign -- president, "[...] after some badgering from game companies, [Sony] shifted the position of the console closer to a game machine." Reading between the lines, perhaps we can infer from Wada's comments that he's not enthralled by PS3's dismal sales given that the company has practically banked its next-gen success on the platform with Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII -- and similarly, perhaps this is the reason we're not seeing any new announcements short of sudden commentary that the games' underlying White engine technology is now "cross-platform".

Reuters reports today on the critically bad state of Playstation 3 in Japan, and underlines it with an equally critical comment from Yoichi Wada, who you may recognise as Captain Polymorph. Says the -- otherwise fairly benign -- president, "[...] after some badgering from game companies, [Sony] shifted the position of the console closer to a game machine." Reading between the lines, perhaps we can infer from Wada's comments that he's not enthralled by PS3's dismal sales given that the company has practically banked its next-gen success on the platform with Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII -- and similarly, perhaps this is the reason we're not seeing any new announcements short of sudden commentary that the games' underlying White engine technology is now "cross-platform".

Rubbish. 4.5 million consoles sold so far this year and it hasn't even been out a full year yet. I believe that number is probably higher since that figure was released by Sony a few months ago. The PS3 is doing better then the 360 did it's first year, no way!? Guess what you can actually find the console on shelves... OMGz someNoz kaLl teh ConSole aNalizsTs poliCE! By the time Final Fantasy XIII is released which it is still in TBA form the PS3 fanbase I am sure will have probably drastically increased. I am guessing Final Fantasy XIII would be annouced for release either Q4 '08 for Japan or at a later date. That is more then a full year away. Critically bad state in 'Japan'? LOL! Ok there would be no point making it for 360 since it sucked ballz over there and still sucking it up in sales. I guess the only route would be to goto the Wii or DS. I mean it only makes sense. PS3 is doing better then the 360 did it's launch year yet is in critial state. 360 so far is just meh, less then half the Xbox base has moved to 360. The 360 has been out for almost 3 years now. Wii is selling like hot cakes and DS has plenty to go around. I think it Square-Enix that needs to their shit straight! You must change title of this news!

That was a veritable paragraph of denial. Good job InfernoSoul! I hope you continue to invest in Sony CEJ; not only has it been knocked out of the top ten businesses in Japan list by Nintendo, had its chief executive demoted due to screwing up the entire PS3 strategy, been outsold by over 3 to 1 by the Wii since launch, lost exclusive titles like GTA to crossplatform development and MS moneyhats, and had its ass kicked in the handheld market by the DS, but now, Square Enix is developing a cross platform engine to support the Fabula Nova Crystallis franchise and an upcoming MMO which suggests to most that "platform exclusivity", certainly in the face of the polymorphism&trade; strategy, is yesterday's world.

Clearly InfernoSoul should replace Wada as President of Square Enix. His industry insight is far more intricate.

Not to go too far off topic, but I'm tired of hearing about how well the Wii is doing. Now this is just my opinion of course, but it's obvious that the Wii is doing so well, simply because it's much cheaper than both the 360 and the PS3! The only other explanation is due to the new controller and all, but come on! If the PS3 was as cheap as the Wii, do you seriously believe that the Wii would still be as succesfull as it is now? 360, sucks compared to both systems if you ask me, and it's only doing well because people want to get Halo 3. Isn't that why everyone bought their first xbox? lol Well, that was the only reason I did....and I have to admit, it was a pretty sound investment. I will admit that the Wii has come out with some impressing games as well. Zelda Twilight Princess being the first, and now I hear their coming out with another Metroid game!! But the PS3, already has great games. Lair, Rock Band ((Which is both PS3 and 360)) and not to mention, Assasin's Creed.
All in all........The Wii's low prices are what's making it sell so well.

You are correct, I should replace Wada! If you are comparing PS3 to Wii when PS3 and 360 which are in a completely different league then you are correct saying that I should replace Wada. :D Where did you get the idea that GTA was exlcusive to PS3? They didn't lose it as an exlcusive. I believe it has to be exclusive before they can actually "lose" it. You know as many big words that you used it would have been nice if you used a period here or there. I was almost out of breath reading your one hundred word sentence. :P

Ass kicked in the handheld market? Comparing the two the DS is out selling the PSP at a 2:1 ratio. That may sound bad until we take a look at the numbers. DS with around 49 million(estimate from vgcarts) and the PSP with 23 million(vgcharts). The DS maybe "kicking it's ass" but the PSP isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Unless you personally are going to go explain that to the 23 million PSP users?

I just find it funny how people(news, media, devs, ect) can throw their ignorant comments around saying the PS3 is doing horrible and it's a complete failure. However the PS3 has been doing better when comparing the 360 launch year to the PS3 launch year. Look at the failure rate of the 360 compared to PS3. No one ever has a response to that it seems. Now we are getting way off topic. However I would like to say I own both PS3 and 360. I also own a PSP and enjoy them all. I picked up a 360 mainly for Bioshock, that game is awesome!

"The PS3 isn't failing as badly as the platform that is REALLY failing!" What kind of argument is that? It's still failing: it's not meeting targets, it's costing Sony a lot of money, it's losing against the market leader and it's losing previously owned timed exclusives like GTA to Microsoft. This is not a strong market position to be in.

And if you think the only reason for the Wii's success is its low price, then you're not paying attention.

It's easy to claim "ignorant comments" when you're on the defensive. I can see it would be hard to accept a new market situation when you've grown up in a world where gaming was led by the Playstation brand. But the fact is that people screwed up and they have to deal with that by watching the disruptor take their market away from them by using common sense instead of a technology arms race.

The PS2 also had a bad first year. The PS3 is doing better then the PS2(not a failed console) did it's first year. Look at where it is at now. It beat out the Dreamcast which had already been out before the PS2 about a full year. The DC is pretty much equal in power. It also beat out the Xbox which is ovbiously more powerful and it came out a year later. Sony is a big company, a format or a gaming console isn't going to make or break Sony. Consoles aren't where they make the money anyways. The software is starting to pour out this fall and winter.

Ofcourse it isn't selling like hot cakes like they Wii as they expected which has recently declined in sales. I believe the reason the Wii is selling well is because 1) loyal nintendo fans, 2) Interesting different gameplay, 3) Price. If you don't think price is a big reason why it is selling well, well I honestly don't know what to say.

GTA wasn't a timed exclusive. Where are you getting your information? GTA IV orignally started devolpment on the PS3 which didn't mean it was exclusive. Microsoft however paid for exclusive download content. I've grown up in a gaming world dominated by nintendo. Then Sony was the next dominator and still is(PS2).

Ignorant comment right there. 5 million consoles sold hasn't been out a full year yet. Other competitor has almost been out for almost 3 years and is sitting at 10 million. How can you honestly judge it as being a failure when it hasn't been out atleast a year let alone more then a year? Just because it isn't meeting your high expections in sales or Sony's it is failing? It can't be failing if sales are increasing. Care to explain that? You can check Amazon for Blu-ray software sells and other sites for console weekly sales. Comon sense? I am sorry but comparing Wii sales or gaming to 360 or PS3 is a joke. I don't see much point continuing that discussion. So did you say the same thing when Sony opted for the DVD drive for PS2. Oh wait lets hear your comment about that, lets stay in the past and never advance...

Let's not talk about Blu Ray and "power". As long as you use those as qualifiers for success, you're in the technological arms race which has already been disrupted by Nintendo. This generation is about consumers and user experiences. Xbox Live is a success for this reason; Wii and DS are obviously redefining to many developers and publishers what success is and how to achieve it. From here on out, it's about using technology in a smart way that brings value to the customer. Blu Ray at this point is apparently not bringing value to the customer, nor is Cell, or everyone would be buying a PS3, which they are not. They're buying a Wii. Apparently the user interface is a bigger deal to most people.

But I won't continue trying to convince you. If you want to believe Sony is doing fine, go ahead.

I dont think it's all about the technology aspects such as what's in the consoles. I mean, the regular original buyer knows nothing about what goes on inside the video game consoles. Most people buy, due to graphics, great available games, and the prices.

People are buying Wii's and not PS3's because of the brand new controller, the good games, and the price of the console itself.
Think about it..........the largest contributor to video game consoles are kids. ((Including young teens)) We've all seen those Wii commercials on tv. Not only are the kids interacting but, the parents, and grand parents are finnaly getting into the swing of things. So, when these parents go out and buy the video game consoles for their children, they go and buy the Wii, so not only will the kids have fun, but also the elderly.

I still think your overlooking the price difference. The Wii is cheap, which makes it more accesible to a larger group of people. Not everyone has $500 bucks to go throw out on a brand new PS3. So most people settle for the Wii's low price.
I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with the Wii, but I still believe the reason why it's doing so well, is because of it's price, the controller, and a good start on some good games.

I never said price is not an issue. It's just not the number one reason people are buying a Wii over a PS3 or Xbox 360. They're buying it because it appeals to them more. It looks more valuable. They think it will entertain them more. The concept of waving your arms and having that replicated in a game is more understandable to the average person than "this one does xxx polygons per second more than last time!!! you can play new super dvd's in it!!". If you tell people that, all they do is shrug about the graphics and wonder why they need yet another set of the same movies when they already have them on dvd.

I really, really dislike XBOX 360. They vast majority of games released for it are not my bag (read fps after fps after fps) and they few you would think are (Oblivion, Blue Dragon) are not enough to make me want to buy the system. But, as much as it bemoans me to say, the 360 is running the market for serious platform gamers. PS3 has nothing really noteworthy on it and no sum of these games would make PS3 worth its price. In my opinion, the current field of video gaming options sucks so bad that it leaves me playing the same games that came out 5 years (many 10 ) over and over again. GG developers.

Your words ring true, Nels. I recently started playing FFIX again for want of anything recent to play. Added to that the fact that any RPGs to appear on the 360 have been largely mediocre makes for a bleak near-future. Sony needs to realize that they're peddling a gaming machine instead of throwing away the brand association that was their greatest strength coming into this console cycle.

I agree with both of you guys. I've been going back for months and playing old games that I bought years ago. lol And I've even gone to the local Gamestop to go looking for old, cheap games that my friends were telling me about.

But at the exact same time, you have to realize that the PS3 just came out. It hasnt even been out over a year. We've just gotta wait for PS3 to start spitting out more useful games. Personally, Assasin's Creed, which just so happens to be on the 360 and PS3, it looks pretty worthy of playing if you ask me. Now......I'm not gonna get it, because I don't have $500 bucks to spend, but at least it looks like a worthy play. Also, the Guitar Hero 3, and Harmonix's new title Rock Band look pretty interesting. But I think both of those games are on the 360 as well.

That is so fucking true, but sony said they expected to lose a lot... like, I forget, like 1.4 billion their fiscal year, or SOMETHING like that I can't remember, but yeah this new console gen thing has made me start going down the old memory lane, started playing saga frontier, and dr. mario again...I'm currently looking for xenogears right now o.o

I really don't care anymore. Sit back on your computer digging up facts, sales figures, reading forums, blogs of how the new consoles are "failures" and whine about how you can't afford it. Get a job, don't give me the whole "I have other responsibilities" because so do I. You can get the systems a lot cheaper then retail if you look around so quit complaining... While you sit on the computer all day long trying to justify the systems falling in your crazy little world you seem to live in, I will be enjoying nice next generation fun games such as Heavenly Sword and Bioshock on my PS3 and 360. If you don't think 360 or PS3 have games to offer or good line up of games coming out. You are nothing but a ignorant fanboy, not a gamer which is obvious. Have fun throwing your arms around like an idiot with your Wii. I'd rather enjoy games that have some story, depth character development, rather then a 10 min cardio session. We will see in a few years where the PS3, 360 and Wii stand.

Not being able to afford one and not "having $500 to spend" are not the same thing. The former is the actual physical inability to put the money towards a console; the latter is choosing not to because the PS3's value proposition is not in sync with the customer's expectations.

Which, really, is what PS3's failure all comes down to. The average person doesn't care about Blu-Ray or Cell.

As for your "not a gamer" argument: you're posting on a Square Enix fansite message board. The only people here are hardcore gamers. So trying to argue that anyone who dislikes the PS3 and prefers the Wii is "not a gamer" is a logical fallacy; moreover, arguing that being a "gamer" is somehow superior to not being such seems like a redundant claim in the first place. You undermine yourself by fallilng into the console war trap when what we're using is basic business 101 (eg. Nintendo is selling everything it's shipping, Sony isn't).

On top of that, I'm playing Bioshock right now on PC, which means that Bioshock is not an argument for playing Xbox 360, and Heavenly Sword overall has received middling reviews, further nuking your points.

I never said anything about people caring about Blu-ray or Cell processor. What matters is the games and the games are coming out on 360 and PS3. By the way the average persons compture probably isn't going to be able to handle Bio Shock if does it won't do it well. Also they would probably rather play with a controller. FPS or not. Look at Halo end of story.

The funny thing is; FF is exclusive to Sony and the PS. You would think a site dedicated to FF I would find PS gamers here rather then haters of the console. Never said the people who have the Wii aren't gamers now you are just putting a spin(what people like to PR Spin) on what I said. I want a system capable of delivering more depth, story, character development, ect. So far Wii isn't offering that. What I implied is you guys are sitting around trying to justify a reason at not buying any of the next gen consoles because they are all failures according to what you read yet they are still selling. The Wii sales are down a lot also. That must mean it is a failure because it isn't moving as many consoles as they did at launch. Everything that isn't my prefere choice or that companys are trying to get me buy is a failure. That is what people around here sound like.

What a sad, sad, utterly sad world you live in. To put your opinion below that of a reviewer of a game who don't even know. That is funny you would say Heavenly Sword overall even got middling reviews. Where do you get your information? Here I will list them off for you:

The first review of Heavenly Sword from Play magazine is a perfect 10 out of 10.
This time HS gets a fantastic 9.7 score from Next Gen Ireland.
MeelaPo has pointed out this UK ign review. Great graphics, but they didn't care too much for the gameplay it seems (rated 7.0)
What U.K. ign doesn't like, GamePro seemed to enjoy with a 4.5 out of 5 score (90%).
The U.S. ign chimes in with a 7/10 score.
The game scores a perfect 10 out of 10 from Finland's #1 gaming media company Tilt.tv.
EGM chimes in with review scores from three editors: 8, 8, 9
Great 8/10 review coming in from Game Daily.
Game Informer loves the game enough to give it two scores of 9 and 8.75.
Review in PSX Extreme (it's multiplatform, though), Polish mag - 9 /10
Gamespot rates it 8.0.
1up.com rates it at 8.3.

For sites like GamePro that use 1-5, I'll double the score in order to average it out:

10/9/9.7/7/9/7/10/8/8/9/8/8.75/9/8.0/8.3

Total Average Score: 8.5

Middling reviews huh? Your points have been "further nuked". Rahul play the game yourself rather then have some reviewer do it for you. Voice your own opinion not someone elses. Until you have actually physically played the game your opinion has been nullified. That and the game got pretty damn good reveiws.

I'd just like to make one comment. InfernoSoul, for someone who says he "doesn't care anymore" and harped on others for "digging up facts [...] of how the new consoles are failures", you seem to have no problem doing it when it's for your side. I'm not exactly sure why you even continue your arguments. You're not going to change anyone's mind and in reality you are just making yourself look like a hypocrite. If you like the current gen, than hurray for you but that doesn't mean others have to. They have every reason to dislike it and to say it's a failure because to them it is. You may see it differently, but that doesn't mean you have to ram it down their throats. And before you say anything about doing them doing the same thing, you should realize you started this. It's getting old. You are fanboying just as much as anyone else here, so just quit it.

Oh, and for my own jab. This doesn't have to do with console wars, but your list of review scores. 8.5 average means about jack and shit. The video game review system amongst all the major players is horribly broken. In a normal review, games that would get 5 out of 10 get a 7-8 in VG reviews. So your average of 8.5 means only that the game is average. I've played HS and it really is a very mediocre game.

I don't know what this argument has turned into, but I want to comment on game rating systems: They really you almost nothing about a game.

How much better is a 9.4 than a 8.9 in Game Informer?
Is there difference between a 32/40 in Famitsu and a 4/5 in Game Pro?
Is a 9/10 in Playstation magazine better than a 8.5 in Xbox Monthly?

The answers to all of these questions is: NO ONE KNOWS!

The very nature of these types of score rules out cross scoring system comparisons and many comparisons within a scoring system. All they can do is give you an idea of how much somebody else liked a game. Since all we know about all these scoring systems is bigger numbers mean a better score.

Hey Infernosoul, I think you just let yourself get sucked into this whole "console war" thing. I don't know how "hardcore" of a gamer you are, but you can probably stop trying to preach at us about games with depth and story, and ladi di da. Because sometimes when you're with a group of friends, maybe the best game at hand isn't the serious rpg, but the fun antics of mario kart and super smash bros. Nintendo knows fun, how else have they gotten by? And as for a nintendo game w/ depth and graphics and whatnot, try metroid, or zelda. damn.

I'm totally not choosing sides in this....."console war." But, I have to admit that both sides are making good points. I understand completely where Infernosoul is coming from, and at the same time I understand where the rest of you are coming from, but do you really have to jump him about it? He's right about the PS3 though. It's too early to completely call it a failure. I've never played Bioshock, and just personally, it dosen't look like a very interesting game. Great next gen graphics and all, but at first glance, it's not something I'd be interested in. ((JUST MY OPINION!! LOL))

I'm a sony man myself, so I don't care much for the 360. But I will say that it has had success in it's games thus far.
Wii, I believe, is still doing so well because of it's prices, and I personally won't buy one just for Zelda and Metroid. Both are very good games, but....I don't plan on buying it, and playing only two games on it.
All in all.....enough fighting. lol
We're all here just to talk about games and have fun right? haha

Look, I'm not choosing sides, I'm open to playing all of the consoles, but sometimes different games suit different times. I mean they're video games meant to entertain us. I don't care what plattform I play on, I wish I could own all of them. It's too early to call the Wii a complete failure too, right? Zelda and Metriod were only examples as far as games w/ story and blah. Sony does have great choices for games, and so does the X-box 360, but it sounds like InfernoSoul just needs to lighten up about what being a "true" gamer means.